Tweet
[Warning long wordy post]
First of all hey Tribe, love you guys! Now where to start? After getting my bird back in the air after being grounded for around 5 years due to hail damage, a year of happy flying went by and it was time for annual again. Some life things happened which kept be from being proactive about it. When I got serious, the wonderful AI that helped me last had disappeared from the face of the planet. Couldn't find anyone who would either work on my 46 BC12D (at my home airport), or would do it for a reasonable price. Bought another plane in the meantime, but finally found a local old timer willing to help me out... eventually (on his schedule), but the price was right.
Anyway I was in the middle of an owner assist working on tasks as assigned, when I hear him say "this wing tank cap needs a new seal". I said "OH! The wing tanks are in-op. Have been since I bought it. I am surprised you even got the cap off. I have always been afraid to force it."
See when I bought the plane ~17 years ago, I was told the wing tanks were in-operable due to corrosion. I accepted it as evident by the rusty fuel caps, and have been running 12Gal main all these years.
The old timer said the tank looks fine just seems that it may need the caps cleaned up or replaced, and the tanks flushed. We both took a look and sure enough the rust seen internally appeared to just be what had fallen in from the caps. He said he thinks the tanks are aluminum and he would use them if he were me.
This afternoon for the first time since I have owned the plane, I decided to try to remove the 1/8NPT plugs. First one (Left) put up a fight, but I prevailed. The right one put up a bigger fight and I lost. It will need to be drilled out.
Fast forward through cleaning up caps and necks...
After the losing fight on the right wing, I thought, well lets see what we have on the left tank. So I took a can of 2yr old gas that I had drained out of it prior to annual, with the plug out, and a bucket under the drain hole, I began pouring the old gas in slowly.... nothing in bucket. A little more gas (hangar floor is not level). Still nothing. So I go to inspect the drain hole, and "THERE IS NO HOLE!"
The only thing I can think is that the drain plug threads were attached to the tank, and the hole was never drilled?!?!?!?
Does anyone have any insight?
First of all hey Tribe, love you guys! Now where to start? After getting my bird back in the air after being grounded for around 5 years due to hail damage, a year of happy flying went by and it was time for annual again. Some life things happened which kept be from being proactive about it. When I got serious, the wonderful AI that helped me last had disappeared from the face of the planet. Couldn't find anyone who would either work on my 46 BC12D (at my home airport), or would do it for a reasonable price. Bought another plane in the meantime, but finally found a local old timer willing to help me out... eventually (on his schedule), but the price was right.
Anyway I was in the middle of an owner assist working on tasks as assigned, when I hear him say "this wing tank cap needs a new seal". I said "OH! The wing tanks are in-op. Have been since I bought it. I am surprised you even got the cap off. I have always been afraid to force it."
See when I bought the plane ~17 years ago, I was told the wing tanks were in-operable due to corrosion. I accepted it as evident by the rusty fuel caps, and have been running 12Gal main all these years.
The old timer said the tank looks fine just seems that it may need the caps cleaned up or replaced, and the tanks flushed. We both took a look and sure enough the rust seen internally appeared to just be what had fallen in from the caps. He said he thinks the tanks are aluminum and he would use them if he were me.
This afternoon for the first time since I have owned the plane, I decided to try to remove the 1/8NPT plugs. First one (Left) put up a fight, but I prevailed. The right one put up a bigger fight and I lost. It will need to be drilled out.
Fast forward through cleaning up caps and necks...
After the losing fight on the right wing, I thought, well lets see what we have on the left tank. So I took a can of 2yr old gas that I had drained out of it prior to annual, with the plug out, and a bucket under the drain hole, I began pouring the old gas in slowly.... nothing in bucket. A little more gas (hangar floor is not level). Still nothing. So I go to inspect the drain hole, and "THERE IS NO HOLE!"
The only thing I can think is that the drain plug threads were attached to the tank, and the hole was never drilled?!?!?!?
Does anyone have any insight?
Comment